These stuffed bell peppers skip the meat and fill each pepper with seasoned rice, black beans, tomatoes and melted cheese. They’re hearty enough that nobody misses the ground beef.
Rice and beans are two of the least expensive ways to build a filling dinner, and this is a good recipe for leftover rice. Green bell peppers are usually the cheapest. Red, yellow and orange ones are sweeter, so buy whichever is on sale.
Prefer a meat version? Try our Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Bell peppers: Four large peppers that sit upright. If yours tip over, slice a sliver off the bottom, or cut them in half lengthwise and fill them like boats.
- Rice: One cup of cooked rice, white or brown. That’s about ⅓ cup uncooked. Quinoa works too.
- Beans: Black beans, drained and rinsed. Pinto or kidney beans are fine swaps.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes, drained so the filling isn’t watery. Salsa can replace them for more flavor.
- Cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend.
Tips for Tender Stuffed Peppers
- Cover the dish first. Foil traps steam and softens the peppers. Uncovering at the end melts and browns the cheese.
- Add water to the dish. A few tablespoons in the bottom creates steam and keeps the peppers from scorching.
- Season the filling well. Rice and beans are mild on their own, so taste the filling before you stuff the peppers.
- Pack them full. The filling doesn’t expand, so mound it up.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $6.48 from Walmart, $6.41 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.60 to $1.62
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs. Stand the peppers in a baking dish.
- In a bowl, stir together the rice, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and half of the cheese.
- Spoon the filling into the peppers, mounding it on top.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 10–15 minutes more, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Stir ½ cup of corn into the filling.
- Use salsa in place of the diced tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Chop the pepper tops and add them to the filling so nothing goes to waste.
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
They’re a full meal by themselves. For a bigger spread, add Black Bean Corn Salad or a green salad, and top the peppers with sour cream, salsa or sliced avocado.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make ahead: Stuff the peppers up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add 5–10 minutes to the covered baking time.
- Refrigerate: Baked peppers keep for up to 4 days and reheat well for lunches.
- Reheat: Microwave for 2–3 minutes, or cover and warm at 350°F for 15–20 minutes.
- Freeze: Freeze baked peppers individually for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Stuffed Pepper Questions
Do I need to cook the peppers before stuffing them?
No. Baking them covered for the first 25 minutes softens them. For very soft peppers, microwave the empty peppers for 2–3 minutes before filling.
Can I add meat?
Yes. Brown ½ pound of ground beef or turkey and stir it into the filling.
Does the rice have to be cooked first?
Yes. Uncooked rice won’t soften inside the peppers.
